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Google’s Chromecast 2 unveiled with Fast Play, better Wi-Fi, and more

While its media event had plenty of attention on the new Nexus-branded smartphones, that’s not all that Google has up its sleeve.

While on stage, the company also unveiled the Chromecast 2, the successor to the popular streaming stick that was launched some time ago. As was expected, the second-generation Chromecast is more colorful than its predecessor, and packs plenty of improvements under the hood. That includes faster and more improved Wi-Fi, and even a new home screen that offers “Feeds,” which will show content while the device is in standby mode.

First up is the hardware, which is a redesign from the original stick model. This unit looks to resemble the Chromecast logo in its design, but it still connects to the TV in the same way as the older model. There are three colors to choose from, though: yellow, red, and black.

The new Chromecast also features support for 802.11ac band, along with other improvements to Wi-Fi, to make sure that streaming content is even better than it already was. The new Chromecast will also intelligently choose the best possible Wi-Fi band to offer the best possible content.

The aforementioned Feeds on the home screen now will populate content either from a photo album, or through a social media outlet. This will be adjusted through the Chromecast companion app, so owners can better customize what they see on their television screen while they aren’t actively streaming content.

Finally, with Fast Play, the Chromecast 2 will begin playing content from a streaming device much faster than before. You’ll still press the “Cast” option on a supported device, but the new Chromecast should start displaying the content much faster, and with fewer breaks and stutters.

It’s still $35, and it will be available beginning later today.

Based on this, what do you think of the Chromecast 2?

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